Reversible closure fastener



March 10, 1931. SCHRADER 1,795,514

REVERSIBLE CLOSURE FASTENER Filed Feb. 28. 1928 INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UN ITJED. 3 STATE PATEN OF'F' ECE THOMAS O. SGHRADER, OF ALLEN TOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DENT HARDWARE COMPANY,OF. FULLERTON, YENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA REVERSIBLE CLOSURE 'FASTENER Application-filed February 28, 1928. Serial No. 257,647.

heretofore been proposed and it hasalso been heretofore proposed to provide such a fastener with means to hold the bolt in eitherof its retracted positions, which holding means may automatically be released when the bolt en gages the keeper mounted on the door frame as, the door swings to its closed position. A fastener of this type-is shown in my copending application Ser. No. 204,832, filed July 11, 1927, and this invention is an improvement upon thefastener-shown in that application.

A primary object-of the invention is to provide a fastener of theltype just stated, including a stop arrangement of relatively simple-construction, that is thoroughly effective in operation and that may be manufactured at a relatively low cost, and in which means are provided to positively control the tilting ofthe bolt of-the fastener as it moves to and from either of its retracted positions. A further. object of the invention is to pro vide a reversible fastener including a bolt that is tiltable laterally in order that portions of the bolt may engage holding shoulders to maintain it in its retracted position, in which means are provided serving as a fulcrum-on which the bolt moves when it is tilted, in order to bring it with certainty into theposition at which it is held when it is manually released from the keeper.-

A further object of theinvention is to provide. a reversible fastener, including stop means to hold the bolt in'its. retractedposition when used. at eitherside of a swinging door, in which thebolt is caused to tilt about a fulcrum by a .cam, sodisposed that the engagement ofthe bolt with either of'the shoulders that hold it in-its retracted positions may be facilitated,

Further objects: of the invention will appear :as a description thereof proceeds with reference tothe accompanying drawings in which,-

Fig. 1 isa rear view of the improved fastener, the cover plate being removed to show the interior construction, said position of said plate however being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the casing of the fastener.

Fig. 3 is a viewof said casing as seen from the right ofFig. 2.

Fig. 4 isa view-of the inside of the cover plate.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 ofFig. 1 looking in the'directionof the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the bolt of the fastener.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The improved fastener of thisapplication inclu desa casing 6, a bolt 7, a spring 8 and a cover plate indicated by the numeral 9. The casing 6 is channel-shaped and is provided with securing portions 10 and 11 extending outwardly from the sides of the channel and projecting away therefrom. Said portions are provided with openings 12 to receive suitable securing means to fasten the casing to an edge of a swinging door. Projecting upwardly from the bottom of said channel is a stud 13 preferably provided with a tapped opening 14 disposed axially thereof. The sides of the channel are provided with inward projections 15 and 16, one side of each of which provides an abutment for an end of the spring 8. The margins of the casing'are' provided withinwardly extending flanges 17 surrounding the portions 10 and I 11 and extending across the ends of the channel formed in said casing, as indicated by the numeral 18 (Fig. 3). Two recesses 19 and 20 are provided in the flange 18, the side walls of said recesses being-inclined so that the axis thereof is in alignment with the center of the stud 13 upon which the bolt 7 is mounted. The flange 17 is cut away adjacent the edges of thechannel therein as shown at 21 for a purpose presently to be described.

The bolt 7 is, provided'with a tapered or flaring opening 22 the smallest transverse dimension of which corresponds approximately with the diameter of the stud 13. This arrangement permits the bolt 7 to tilt laterally as well as to rock or pivot upon said stud. Said bolt is further provided with a handle 23 and an end 24 projecting outwardly from the casing in position to engage the keeper secured to the door frame in well known manner. Said bolt is also provided with oppositely disposed short lateral extensions 2" each provided with a projection 26 approximately in transverse alignment with the tapered or flaring opening 22 in said bolt. The end 24 of the bolt adjacent the edge of the casing is provided with rounded edge surfaces 27 and 28 on one side of the bolt. At the other side of the bolt adjacent the other edge of the casing said bolt is provided with an inward projection 29. Said bolt is further provided with a pair of projections 30 disposed on the same side thereof as the projection 29 and on opposite sides of the opening 22 provided to receive the stud 13.

The spring 8 is coiled around the stud 13 and has free ends 31 and 32 extending laterally in opposite directions from said stud. said spring being so tensioned that the ends 31 and 32 thereof bear firmly upon the abutments 15 and 16 of the casing as shown on the drawings. Furthermore, the arrangement of the spring is such that the projections 26 of the bolt extend across an end thereof adj acent an abutment as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The cover plate 9 is provided with cut outportions 33 adjacent the corners thereof. said out out portions fitting around the shoulder provided by the cut away portions 21 of the flanges 17. so that the cover plate is positioned thereby upon the inside of the casing. Said cover plate is further provided with an opening 34 to receive a screw or similar fastening means to secure the cover plate to the stud 13, the opening 14 serving to receive said screw. Said cover plate is further provided with a pair of arcuate slots 35 arranged in position to receive the ends of the projections 26 of the extensions 25 of the bolt. This arrangement prevents the free ends of the spring 8 from springing around the ends of projections 26. The cover plate 9 is also provided with a cam 36 projecting inwardly toward the bolt when the cover plate is in position. The sides of said cam are rounded and are located in position to be engaged by the rounded edges 27 and 28 of the bolt when the bolt moves towards its operative position from either of its retracted positions.

In the operation of the invention the bolt extends horizontally as shown in Fig. 1 when it is in latching position without regard to whether the door is hinged at its right or left hand edge. When it is desired to open the door the handle 23 of the bolt is grasped and the bolt is rotated about the stud 13. As is customary in opening a swinging door a pull is exerted on the handle 23 atthe same time that the bolt is retracted. Said pull causes the be t to tilt on. the fulcrum 30 and when it is coingletely retracted the projection 29 on said bolt engages one or the other of the recesses 19 and 20 of the flange 18 of the cash The bolt is thus held in its retracted position. If it is used on a door that is hinged at the right band edge the projection 29 of the bolt will be engaged in recess 19 while if the fastener is applied to a door that is hinged upon its left hand edge, said projection will engage the recess 20. However used, ends 31 and 32 of spring 8, by engaging with the projections 26 on the bolt, tend to restore the bolt to its operative or horizontal position. as more fully described in my copending application above identified.

T he bolt of the fastener remains in its retracted position until it is desired to close the door. In order to release said bolt, it is only necessary to swing the door towards the frame, when the projecting end 2 1 of the bolt will engage a projection customarily provided for this purpose on the keeper. The engagement of this end of the bolt with the keeper causes the bolt to be tilted reversely upon the fulcrum 30 causing the projection 29 to be released from either of the recesses 19 and 20 with which it happens to be engaged. The spring 8 then causes the bolt to snap into position behind the shoulder of the keeper ordinarily provided. When the end 2 1 of the bolt engages the keeper and the projection 29 is withdrawn from either of the recesses 19 or 20 one of the rounded surfaces 27 or 28 simultaneously rides upon the corresponding rounded side surface of the cam 36. Said cam causes the projection 29 to be positively withdrawn from the recess with the walls of which it is in engagement, and serves to guide said bolt into proper position for the next operation of the bolt in unlatching the door.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be crmsidered in all respects s illustrative and not restrictive. the scope of tl e invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A reversible fastener comprising a casing. a stud in said casing, a bolt provided with a conical opening arranged on said stud, means to bias said bolt toward its operative position from either of its retracted positions, at fulcrum projecting laterally of said bolt on one side thereof toward said casing, and means consisting of a projection on said bolt and spaced recesses in said casing to retain said bolt in either of said retracted positions when it is tilted about said fulcrum.

2. A reversible fastener comprising a casing a stud in said casing, a bolt provided with a conical opening arranged on said stud, a spring to bias said stud toward either operative position, a fulcrum projecting laterally of said bolt on one side thereof, a projection from said bolt on the same side as said fulcrum and a plurality of spaced recesses in said casing arranged in position to receive said projection when said bolt is tilted on said fulcrum and reaches either of its retracted positions.

3. A reversible fastener comprising a casing, a stud in said casing, a bolt provided with a conical opening arranged on said stud, means to bias said bolt toward'either of its operative positions, a fulcrum projectin laterally of said bolt on one side thereof, a projection from said bolt on the same side as said fulcrum, means engaging the opposite ide of said bolt to cause it to tilt about said fulcrum when the bolt is moved toward its operative position and a plurality of stops to selectively receive said projection when the bolt is in either retracted position to retain it in said posititon against the action of said biasing means.

l. A reversible fastener comprising a casing provided with an inwardly projecting stud and a pair of abutments disposed on opposite sides of said stud, a bolt provided with a conical opening pivotally arranged on said stud, said bolt having lateral extensions pro vided with projections having one side thereof in substantial alignment with one side of said abutments, a spring looped around said stud and having oppositely projecting free ends extending across said upward projections and engaging said sides of said abutments, a fulcrum on said bolt projecting toward said casing and stop means to retain said bolt in either of its retracted positions when its is swung on said stud and tilted on said fulcrum.

5. A reversible fastener comprising a casing provided with an inwardly projecting stud and a pair of abutments disposed on opposite sides of said stud, a bolt provided with a conical opening pivotally arranged on said stud, said bolt having lateral extensions pro vided with projections having one side thereof in substantial alignment with one side of said abutments, a spring looped around said stud and having oppositely projecting free ends extending across said upward projections and engaging said sides of said abutments, a fulcrum on said bolt projecting to ward said casing and stop means to retain said bolt in either of its retracted positions when it is swung on said stud and tilted on said'fulcrum, and means between the other side of said bolt and the cover plate to cause said bolt to tilt in an opposite direction on said fulcrum when the bolt is returned to its operative position.

6. A reversible fastener comprising a casing, a bolt mounted in said casing by cooperating elements associated to permit pivotal and slight lateral tilting movement of the bolt with respect to said casing, a projection on said bolt serving as a fulcrum by engagement with said casing when said bolt is tilted laterally, a second projection on said bolt, a plurality of spaced recesses in said casing arranged in position to selectively receive said last named projection when the bolt is tilted in one direction and assumes one or the other of its retracted positions, a cover plate, and means on said cover plate to cause said bolt to tilt reversely to release said projection from either recesses when the bolt is returned to its operative position from either of its retracted positions.

7. A reversible fastener comprising a casing, a bolt pivotally mounted in said casing with freedom to tilt laterally with respect to its pivotal mounting, means to serve as a fulcrum about which said bolt moves when it is tilted, means to retain said bolt in either of its retracted positions when it is moved to said positions and tilted in one direction on said fulcrum, and means to positively tilt said bolt reversely on said fulcrum when it moves from either of said positions toward its operative position, said means being positioned to substantially prevent tilting of the bolt when in its operative position.

8. A reversible fastener comprising a casing, a bolt pivotally mounted in said casing with freedom to tilt laterally with respect to its pivotal mounting, means to serve as a fulcrum about which said bolt moves when it is tilted, a projection on said bolt, a plurality of spaced recesses in said casing designed and arranged to selectively receive said projection, spring means to return said bolt toward a central operative position from either of its angular inoperative positions consisting of a spring bent to form a coil between its ends and having its ends radiating in different directions from said coil, means on said bolt coopcrating selectively with said ends so that said one end tends to move the bolt in one direction when released from one recess and the other tends to move it in the opposite direction from the other recess when released therefrom, and guiding means to cause the bolt to tiltaway from each recess on said fulcrum when released and when it moves under the action of said spring means.

THOMAS o. SOHRADER.

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